Eugene Folklore Society efs logo eugenefolklore.org
EFS events & functions
Contra Dances
Dance Schedule
Cascade Contras
Midsummer Madness
Morris Dancing
Song Circle
usually 1st Weds 7-9pm
Concerts
(highly irregular)
About EFS
Membership
Volunteer
Scholarship
Board
Board Elections
Newsletter
(with events calendar)
Mailing list
(event announcements)
Contacts
By-laws
Other resources
KLCC calendar
Eugene Weekly
Venue/Event links
Swing dance links
Folk dance links
Cajun/Zydeco links
Other links

EFS contra dances

EFS Contra Dances: 2nd & 4th Saturdays

Dances run regularly through the school year, Sept-June.
Beginner’s lesson: 7:30PM. Dancing: 8:00PM unless listed otherwise.
Starting January, 2012, we will dance in the Gym of the Dunn School (where Ridgeline Montessori School meets), 3411 Willamette Street, Eugene, OR 97405 (Google Map). (Directions).

No Partner or experience needed!
Families are Welcome!
Bring soft soled shoes that won’t mark the floor.
Cost: $6 for members, $8 general. Arrive by 7:30 PM and get $1 off admission. Students with ID get another $1 off.

Special offer for folks new to contra dancing: When you pay the admission charge at your first dance in Eugene or Corvallis, you will be offered a coupon for free admission to a regular dance evening, valid in either Eugene or Corvallis. When you redeem that coupon, you will be offered a 50% discount coupon for your next dance in either Eugene or Corvallis.

EFS also hosts two camp "retreat" weekends for contra dancers:

Cascade Contras
A full weekend for contra dance enthusiasts, Cascade Contras takes place each April at SKY Camp (the Springfield Kiwanas Youth camp) on Fall Creek Reservoir. The camp offers two full evenings of contra dancing, four contra dance workshops with live music, and a set of other music, dance, and calling workshops. Our special kitchen staff prepares all meals on-site: a snack Friday evening, breakfast, lunch, and dinner Saturday, and Sunday breakfast and lunch. Campers may select from shared bunk cabins, with perhaps six campers per room, or may bring their own tents or campers/trailers.
Midsummer Madness
Midsummer Madness offers a dance and sports weekend retreat for contra dancers, families, and friends. The event takes place in late July in odd years, thus the appropriate title "the odd camp in odd years". For 2011 it was held July 29-31 at Living Waters Camp, above the McKenzie River about 20 minutes east of Eugene. For more information, check out the 2011 flier.

EFS Contra Dance Calendar

Starting January, 2012, we will dance in the Gym of the Dunn School (where Ridgeline Montessori School meets), 3411 Willamette Street, Eugene, OR 97405 (Google Map). (Directions).

Saturday, January 14, 2012: Unleashed! with Ruth Lowengart
This will be our first dance at the Dunn School, 3411 Willamette Street (Google Map).
Saturday, January 28: Alan & The Agitators with Erik Weberg
A new hard-driving band from Portland, Alan and the Agitators features the dynamic fiddler Alan Snyder who recently moved to Portland from the Bay Area. Jeff Kerssen Griep lays down pulsating guitar riffs as well as the African djembe. Jon Neff adds his crisp mandolin & guitar, and Kristen Falk from Corvallis backs it all up with driving percussion. Dancers are in for a delightful treat.
Erik has been calling contra dances since 1990. He summarizes his philosophy this way: "I choose dances based on simple criteria. They have to feel good and they have to be fun. Complexity does not necessarily translate into dancing pleasure. Flow, interesting figures, and connection with the music are what make dancing sublime. Whether it's smooth like butter or driving like a freight train, it's got to make sense and feel good. Those are the dances I choose to call. I work to teach efficiently and clearly, and often I succeed."
Saturday, February 11: Tapsalteerie with Kat DiFoxfire Wilson
Tapsalteerie, from Seattle, is a strong rhythm-driven contradance band enjoyed by northwest dancers for more than 10 years offering a mostly New England and Franco-American repertoire. The band consists of Clare Woolgrove (concertina), Jan Martindale and Jon Singleston (fiddles), Nick Leininger (guitar) and Sam Good (bass).
A recent transplant from Missouri to the Pacific Northwest, Kat Wilson now lives in Gig Harbor, Washington, and is calling the Eugene dance for the first time. Kat has been dancing since 1999 and calling since 2003. Known for her artful dance selection and her calm, concise and confident teaching style, she likes calling contra dances that flow so she can shut up sooner and let the dancers enjoy the band. Kat also enjoys calling other formation dances and contra medleys, so dancers are in for a delightful evening.
Saturday, February 25: The Lanny Martin Revue with Karen Marshall
The Lanny Martin Revue is a great and powerful band led by that incomparable pianist, Lanny Martin. Lori Prime lights up on fiddle, Jon Neff keeps it interesting on guitar, and Sarah Goss adds nicely on whistles and oboe. Sarah will also keep us rich with bass sound, percussionist Kristen Falk will have you tapping your feet to the beat, and Lanny will hold our beat steady with his rock solid piano playing. The band is based out of Portland and Corvallis.
Karen Marshall started calling contra dances in 2008 for the Bellingham dance community and since then has called dances from Vancouver BC to Olympia. She's known for her energy on the dance floor and likes to call contra dances with the same enthusiasm and joy. She also periodically calls dances for Scottish communities. When she's not attending a dance camp somewhere in the Northwest, she can either be found working or dancing in Seattle or enjoying spending time in her true home base of Anacortes, Washington.
FRIDAY, March 9: The Carr Family Band with Marlin Prowell
Special FRIDAY dance, as a part of Cascade Promenade
NO SATURDAY DANCE THIS WEEK!
The Carr Family Band plays exciting, traditional dance music from Ireland, Québec, Galicia, and Appalachia. Hailing from the Rogue Valley, the band combines the fresh, young energy of son Daniel on guitar and daughter Molly on mandolin, with the seasoned talents of their parents, fiddler Kevin Carr and pianist Josie Mendelsohn. All members of the band trade off on other instruments, including percussion. Lively rhythms, tight arrangements, and lush harmonies drive the dancers. Kevin Carr is a founding member of the Hillbillies from Mars, and Josie is a founding member of the legendary bluegrass band the Good Ol' Persons. She and Kevin have studied Québécois music lovingly and recorded two acclaimed CDs. Kevin has also played contra dance music for over thirty years and has taught fiddle at dance camps such as Fiddle Tunes, Lark in the Morning, and Alasdair Fraser's Sierra Fiddle Camp.
A long-time caller from Bellingham, Marlin Prowell is well-known for his clear teaching and confident selection of dances. In addition to fine contras, Marlin calls many other formations including squares and can lead dancers through delightful evenings. An extremely versatile caller and dance organizer, Marlin has called at many dance camps throughout the Pacific Northwest and also for the techno-contras in Seattle.
SATURDAY, March 10: NO DANCE!
Saturday, March 24: The Eugene Barnstormers with Stacy Rose
Based in Eugene, the Eugene City Barnstormers is a string band dedicated to fun times. The band prefers two lane roads. For over 10 years the Barnstormers' boys have traveled rural Oregon together, playing country dances, community events and gatherings of all sorts, all in search of sparkling moments when dancers, musicians, friends and family join together in motion, music and on occasion, mayhem. Shawn Lockery plays fiddle, Wes Messinger plays guitar, Paul Clements plays fiddle, Ambo Daugherty plays the banjo, and Cliff Kentros plays the bass. The Eugene Barnstormers enjoy long sets of traditional dance tunes played in their own storming sort of way, beckoning folks from all walks of life to lay aside their concerns, stretch out, loosen up and move, move, move. Beyond the dance halls, the band plays on, visiting tunes and songs familiar, and not, till deep sleep comes to all. Come on out and have some fun with the Eugene Barnstormers.
Stacy Rose is a contra dance caller, folk dance teacher, and musician in the Coos Bay area. For many years, she has been one of the organizers and callers at the lovely Greenacres Grange dance near Coquille. Stacy is a clear and confident teacher, and she truly enjoys sharing delightful flowing contras with the dancers.
Saturday, April 14: NO DANCE — Register for Cascade Contras instead.
SUNDAY, April 15: The Latter Day Lizards with Lisa Greenleaf
Note that the newcomers' session for this dance starts at 7:00 pm, and the dance runs from 7:30 to 10:30 pm!
Come enjoy the special talent from the Cascade Contras dance weekend!
Saturday, April 28: The Nettles with Mary Devlin
The Nettles return to Eugene to play their folkadelic booty-shaking contra dance music with Laura Brophy on fiddle, Kevin Johnsrude on guitar, Michael Proctor on bass and Brian Bucolo on drums. Bring your water bottle, it's going to get hot!
Mary Devlin leads contras, triplets, squares and English Country dance. She's known for calling dances that emphasize great connections and feel-good flow and for clear, brief and friendly teaching. Mary also teaches style workshops, workshops in dance calling and in neurolinguistic programming (NLP) insights applied to dance leadership.
Besides calling and dancing, Mary was President of the Country Dance & Song Society (CDSS) from 2003 to 2006. She also served on the CDSS Board of Directors and the Executive Board from 1996 to 2001. Mary has been Program Director for two CDSS English-American dance weeks at Pinewoods and for two BACDS English Country dance and music weeks at Mendocino. She has twice been on the Portland Country Dance Community (PCDC) Board. Mary was Dance Instructor for Portland's 2004 Christmas Revels.
Touring has taken Mary to the mid-Atlantic states and the Southeast (with KGB, with Larry Unger and Elke Baker, and with Rex Blazer and Anita Anderson), to the Northeast (with Rex Blazer and Anita Anderson), and to several East Coast states (with Footloose). Mary has called dances, taught workshops, and appeared at camps and festivals throughout the U.S., in Canada and Europe.
Saturday, May 12: KGB with Woody Lane
No security clearances are required to enjoy Seattle's KGB. With fiddle, mandolin, guitar and piano, KGB creates subversive music, lulling the unwary with traditional New England contradance tunes, then jumping off into Balkan modalities, tango riffs and bluesy jigs. Claude slides from growling grooves to impossible high notes on the fiddle. Dave creates percussive energy and dazzling riffs on anything with strings. Julie explores the emotional range of the keyboard from majestic to down and dirty.
Claude Ginsburg's violin melts, swings, growls, soars. He infuses KGB's music with passion, rhythm, hitting notes high on the fingerboard with power and sweetness. Claude deftly inserts elements of Klezmer, Latin American, jazz fusion and French Romantic music into New England fiddle tunes, while years of contradance playing keeps his music connected to the dancers. Dave Bartley strikes sparks with his wicked mandolin, driving guitar and lush cittern. He glides from melody to harmony to rhythm to counterpoint, throwing in rock riffs, cross-rhythms, classical motifs and Eastern tonalities. Dave has a more long-winded biography on his own web site.
From beater pianos to concert grands, Julie King fully exploits the percussive range of seven octaves. Her piano style is driving, richly chordal, providing KGB's music with emotional tension. Julie has been the rhythmic backbone in numerous bands for over 15 years. Waiting for Snow, one of her superb waltzes, is included in The Waltz Book II. The recently published Waltz Book III contains two more of her waltzes, Flathead Lake and Call It a Night.
Known for his smooth contras, fast squares, and superb programming, Woody Lane calls extensively throughout the Pacific Northwest and has a growing reputation throughout the country. Also an accomplished clogger, he often accompanies the band as a foot percussionist, raising the energy level on the dance floor to wonderful heights. He has brought his exciting brand of calling to dances from Alaska to Florida to Boston, and has done many calling tours around the U.S. He has also been on staff at many music and dance camps, including The Corvallis Dance Weekend, Fiddle Tunes, Lady Of The Lake, and Cascade Contras.
Saturday, May 28: NO DANCE — Go to the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle instead!
Saturday, June 9: The Euphemists with Sherry Nevins
Enjoy contradancing but miss that Big Band sound? Then you'll love the Euphemists, a band whose motto is "All fiddle tunes get better with horn riffs!" Over the past few years, various pairings of these Portland musicians have said, "We should form a band!" Finally, inspired by the recent immigration of fiddler Alan Snyder from warmer climes, The Euphemists congealed in 2011. The band features a brass front line of Paula Hamlin, Kaye Blesener, and Jerry Nelson, while Jerry's several guitars share backup rhythmic duties with the keyboard of Dave Goldman.
Experienced caller Sherry Nevins from Seattle has long delighted dancers throughout the Northwest with her exciting calling and fun evenings. She delights in working with all sorts of bands and making dancers happy. At Folklife, she has called contras with marimba ensembles and western swing bands. In addition to her extensive array of contras and squares, she has written many well-known dances and also specializes in calling family dances designed for the very young dancers and their parents. A mainstay of the Seattle dance scene, Sherry has organized the weekly Thursday dances for more than 25 years.

Contradance/Potluck e-mail list: For notification of Eugene and Corvallis mostly contra dance events and potluck dinners - anyone may subscribe to this list. To subscribe, send an e-mail from the account where you want to receive the newsletter to: majordomo@peak.org
In the BODY (not the subject line) put this single line: subscribe efs-contradance. Instructions for unsubscribing will be included at the end of each email that we send you. (Or visit this web page to subscribe to the EFS contra dance mailing list.)

Corvallis car pool: Leaves at 7:00 from the parking lot accross from New Morning Bakery in downtown Corvallis.

Directions to EFS Contra dances

The Dunn School 3411 Willamette St., Eugene, OR 97405

From north of Eugene on I-5:
Follow I-5 Southbound to Exit 194B. Take the exit and head west on I-105 / Oregon 126.
After 1.3 miles, take exit 2 for Coburg Road and Downtown. As you exit, stay left, towards Downtown and the University. This will dump you onto southbound Coburg Road. Stay on Coburg Road, crossing the Willamette River, and into downtown.
After about a mile, exit right onto 8th Avenue. Head west on 8th Avenue for two blocks, until you can turn left onto Pearl Street. After you cross 19th Avenue, Pearl becomes Amazon Parkway. Keep Going.
Turn Right at the light at 24th Avenue. Follow 24th west for two blocks.
Turn left at the light onto Willamette Street.
Stay right at 32nd Avenue, where Donald Street forks off to the left. The Dunn School will lie on your left after another two blocks.
There is limited automobile parking: Please carpool or ride your bike!
The Dunn School has a small parking lot on the north side.
You can also park on 35th Avenue, just south of the school.
Alternatively, turn off Willamette at 33rd, and park in the South Eugene Post Office parking lot.
From south of Eugene on I-5:
Take I-5 to Exit 189 for South Eugene and 30th Avenue.
Proceed to the stop sign, and Turn Left onto 30th Avenue. Follow 30th West for about three miles, up and over the big hill.
Turn Left at the light at Hilyard Street. Follow Hilyard less than 1/4 mile.
Turn Right onto 33rd Avenue. Follow 33rd West for three blocks.
Turn Left onto Donald Street.
Take the first right turn onto 35th Avenue. Look for parking. The school will be through the trees on your right.
From Corvallis via Oregon highway 99
On the north edge of Eugene, Loop right to get onto Beltline EAST.
After 3 1/2 miles, exit right onto Delta highway SOUTH.
Keep right at fork (immediately after the Valley River Center overpass) following signs for Downtown/Fairgrounds.
Coming off the freeway go straight ahead onto Jefferson Street. Jefferson will take a jog at 13th Avenue so prepare by getting into the center lane.
Turn Left onto 13th Ave.
Almost immediately, turn Right to continue south on Jefferson.
Turn L onto 18th Ave.
In just a few blocks (at a traffic light and gas station), turn Right onto Willamette Street. Continue south for about 1 1/2 miles.
When the road splits (at 32nd), take the right fork to continue south on Willamette. At 33rd you'll see the post office on your left. The entrance to the school is just past the post office.
From the U of O Campus by bicycle
Head south on Alder Street to 26th Avenue.
Turn Left onto 26th. Cross Hilyard at the light, and continue through the parking lot to the Amazon Bike Path.
Turn left onto the bike path. Follow the bike path to 33rd Avenue.
Turn Right onto 33rd Avenue. Follow 33rd West for three blocks.
Turn Left onto Donald Street.
Take the first right turn onto 35th Avenue. Turn Right again to stay on 35th Avenue. Continue to Willamette. You'll find the school on your right.

Here's a building map of the Dunn school. We will dance in the gym, colored black.
Building map for the Dunn school

César Chavez Middle School: 1510 W 14th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97402

From the North:
Go south on HWY 99 to Chambers St, and turn right (south).
After the light at 13th, turn left (east) onto 14th Ave.
César Chavez School and gym are on the right: Follow the driveway to the 40 parking spaces. You may also park in the “pause parking” and “bus stop” zones.
From the south:
Get on Chambers via 18th or any other street, and head north.
Turn right at 14th, and turn left into the driveway at the school sign.
Via bicycle:
The school is right on the bike path that follows Amazon Creek. There is a paved pathway at the east side of the school between the bike path and the school grounds.
There is limited automobile parking: Please carpool or ride your bike!

Teddy Roosevelt Middle School: 680 E 24th Ave, Eugene, OR 97405
(This is our backup location. Unless otherwise specified, all dances take place at César Chavez.)

From the North:
Go south on HWY 99 to Chambers St, and turn right (south).
Continue through the lights at 11th and 13th, and turn left (east) at the light at 18th Ave.
Take 18th east for just over one and 1/4 mile, passing the busy lights at Willamette and Oak, and turn right (south) at the next light at Pearl.
Pass 19th, and continue 1/2 mile south to the next light, at 24th, and turn left.
In less than 1/4 mile, you’ll see the school on the right.
Turn IMMEDIATELY into the first driveway, and park on one of the several small lots behind the school.
From the south:
If you head north on Willamette or Amazon parkway, turn right onto 24th.
If you head north on Hilyard, you will find the school on your left, at the corner of 24th.
You may have to turn left onto 24th and drive around the school to get into its parking lots.
Via bicycle:
Take the Amazon Creek bike path to 24th street. Head east along 24th to the school.
There is limited automobile parking: Please carpool or ride your bike!

Berean Baptist Church Gym: 1210 Chambers Street, Eugene, OR 97402
(This was a special location for the 11 Nov. 2010 dance.)

From the North:
Go south on HWY 99 or NW Expressway to Chambers St., and turn right (south).
After the light at 11th, look for the church on your right.
From the south:
Get on Chambers via 18th or 28th, and head north.
After the light at 13th, look for the church on your left.

Regional Dance Internet Resources

Do you have something to say to Willamette Valley dancers? Want to share a ride? find a ride? You can connect here at Oregon Contra Connection

There are two email lists with local dance information, one for Eugene and one or Corvallis. These are cheap, easy, and environmentally friendly.

To subscribe by email:
Send an email to either
efs-contradance-request@peak.org
or
cfs-contradance-request@peak.org
In the message body, say "subscribe". Wait for an email reply and follow instructions. Unsubcribing is the same, but say "unsubscribe". Change your email by unsubscribing from the old account and also subscribing from the new.
To subscribe via the web:
Visit either
http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/efs-contradance
or
http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/cfs-contradance

Spencer Creek Grange Barn Dances: 3rd Saturdays

Spencer Creek Grange Barn Dances (Traditional square dancing, waltzes, and line dancing.) 

Live music by the Old Time Fiddlers
Caller is Alan Ede of Corvallis
3rd Saturdays, 7-10 p.m.
Admission: $4 for adults, free for kids under 10. 
The 2011 season (Fall/Winter) begins Saturday, November 19th.
Donations accepted at the door. The Spencer Creek Grange is located on the southwest side of Eugene, at the corner of Lorane Hwy. and McBeth Rd. (Google map to the location)

Corvallis Contra Dances: 1st and 3rd Saturdays

Corvallis Folklore Society: Dances usually held at First Congregational Church, 4515 SW West Hills Rd, Corvallis (Map). From 99W, go west on Western, stay right as it veers left after the traffic light at 35th St. Church is on the right. Go to second driveway on the west side of the building, head back to the parking lot, and go to the east end to enter Gatton Hall directly. Please bring clean soled shoes to dance in to help protect the dance floor. Cost: $6 CFS/EFS members; $7 general admission. There are sometimes potluck dinners held before the dance at 6PM. Info: call 541-745-1002 (Karen and Frank Griswold) or email: contramaniac@gmail.com. See Corvallis Dance Schedule.

Out of Town Contra Dances